The bottom line: Agribusiness spent $71 million on campaign contributions and $95 million on lobbying in 2012. For example:

The National Turkey Federation — a member of an agricultural businesses coalition —has given $1.37 million in campaign contributions since 1989, focused mainly on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. The group has also spent $3.58 million on lobbying during that time, taking aim at laws for turkey exports and antibiotic rules.

Childhood hunger is unfortunately directly related to two issues, unemployment, and too many single parent homes where the parent is under employed or unemployed. The government needs to foster an environment where companies will start hiring again enmasse, which sadly is not happening.

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Next public appearance

Grand Rounds on the Future of Public Health, Mailman School of Public Health: “Food Politics 2015: From Personal Responsibility to Policy Advocacy,” This is the opening talk in a month-long series of lectures on obesity prevention. 4:00-5:30 Alumni Auditorium, 650 West 168th Street. Free and open to the public.